Green Party candidates for Syracuse mayor and common council are rallying support for a universal health insurance plan that's now one vote shy of support in the state senate. The New York Health Act is a single public payer system financed by progressively graduated taxes on payrolls and non-payroll income such as capital gains and interest. Mayoral candidate Howie Hawkins says federal funds for Medicaid, Medicare, and the family and child health plus programs would be folded in, resulting in savings for all but the wealthiest New Yorkers.

"For 98 percent of New Yorkers, they would pay less for health care than they do now, especially those who make less than $100,000."